At a glance…
- Beloved artist Dolly Parton has died aged 80.
- The philanthropist and singer had been suffering from kidney stones and other “health challenges.”
- Her family confirmed the news in a touching tribute.
Singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died, aged 80. Her family made the announcement on her social media with a touching tribute.
“A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see,” they wrote in their notice. “Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family.”
“Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”
Bryan Seaver, her nephew and head of security, also posted a video announcement (at Dolly’s request) to share the sad news.
“Dolly opened doors not just for me but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn’t even know was possible,” he said of his aunt, whom he first went on the road with in the 1980s when his father was her head of security. He also said that she opened doors for “dreamers from every walk of life and across every continent.”
“By her example, we believed anything was possible. She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and when she did open it, she changed history.”
In a career spanning six decades and more than 65 albums, the legendary Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award nominee entertained and inspired on and off the stage.
Dolly had “health challenges” in recent months, including kidney issues which led to her delaying and then cancelling her Las Vegas residency.
“Lord, they dig more stones out of me a year than the rock quarry in Rockwood, Tennessee,” she said in a health update, reassuring her fans that she had “great doctors” and was doing well.
Born in January 1946, Dolly grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee as the fourth of 12 children. The family may have been poor but was rich in music, and Dolly displayed an early passion for singing.
After graduating high school, she travelled to Nashville to pursue a music career. There she crossed paths with country music star Porter Wagoner, who invited her to appear on his television show. She also met Carl Dean, the man who would later become her husband.
The talented performer was soon catapulted to stardom, landing a recording contract that launched her solo career. In the years that followed, Dolly released the hits that would define her illustrious career including Jolene, I Will Always Love You and 9 to 5. In 2025, she announced a musical based on her life.
“I have always wanted to do my life story as a musical,” she said in her announcement of the show. “And I just thought that I wanted to see it done while I’m still around, to be able to oversee it and make sure that it’s done properly in a way that I would want to see it, rather than to wait till I’m gone and let somebody else decide how they think it should be done.”
With her bouffant blonde hair, ample bustline and glitzy, camp outfits, Dolly’s bombshell look became as famous as her music. “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap!” she once famously said. Read our exclusive extract from her style memoir, Behind The Seams, here.
She made her Hollywood debut in 1980 with 9 to 5 alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. She also appeared in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), Rhinestone (1984) and Steel Magnolias (1989).
On the small screen she guest-starred in numerous TV series and hosted her own variety show, Dolly, in 1976-77 and 1987-88.
A savvy businesswoman, Dolly ensured she owned the rights to her music from the outset of her career, earning millions in royalties. Using some of those funds, she opened her own theme park, Dollywood, in 1986 as a celebration of her mountain upbringing. The park provides employment for thousands of rural Tennesseans.
As a philanthropist, Dolly also lent her star power to several different causes. She founded the Dollywood Foundation in 1988 to provide educational resources to children and encourage academic success. In 1995, the foundation’s Imagination Library, inspired by her father, who was illiterate, was launched to promote children’s literacy. To date, the program has donated hundreds of millions of books to preschool children around the world, including Australia.
Dolly, a vocal LGBTQ ally, also donated $1 million to fund the development of the Moderna vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic. To encourage others to get inoculated, Dolly sang a parody of her hit song Jolene, changing the lyrics to “vaccine” in a public service announcement.
Named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2004, Dolly’s long list of accolades includes being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2011 and being awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2025.
Dolly and Carl, who married in 1966, were together for nearly 60 years before his death in 2025. His death left a lasting effect on Dolly.
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